Tyr - The Government
The Government The King A new king rules Tyr. Tithian, formerly Senior Templar under Kalak, seized the throne immediately following the sorcerer-king’s demise. Heralded as the “liberator of Tyr,” Tithian becomes the first popular king in memory. Administering his post for a short time, he is credited with the defense of Tyr’s iron mines against Urik’s army, although there are questions abot how much this was really his plan and how much was Rikus. Tithian administers Council and oversees passage of a handful of reforms before embarking upon a personal quest. Tithian departs, assuming no one else knows the purpose of his expedition. The city continues its recovery in his absence, secretly questioning the whereabouts of its errant liberator. The Council of Advisers Freedom and anarchy are synonymous in Tyr. Hundreds of newly freed slaves lacked any means of selfdetermination. Having taken orders since birth, freedom was confusing and frightening to them. Conversely, the merchant populace was greedy for power. As a result, the first meeting of the newly formed Council drew over 400 attendees claiming to represent various districts or interests in the city. Tithian, Agis, and a few other respected statesmen met to establish guidelines under which the Senate would be dissolved and the new Council formed. This resulted in the Council of Advisers as Tyr knows it today. The Council that titularly shares power with the king now rules in his absence. Its membership is drawn from all ranks of Tyrian society and includes senators, nobles, templars, tradesmen, and ex-slaves. All told, the Council counts 27 members. It meets two days each week to discuss issues facing the city. Emergency sessions can be convened as necessary. Nobles holding Council positions include King Tithian (in absentia), Agis, Senators Turax, Vildeen Tyrthani, Trevalis Minthur, Beryl, Dyan, Kiah, Kasenna, Chessia, and Rynn, among others. Rikus and Sadira are considered members of the Council and are free to speak at meetings. Usually 10 to 15 of the senators will be in attendance at any Council meeting. The templars’ representatives include Timor, Senior Templar under Tithian; Banther, Minister of the Arena; and Borger, Minister of Mines. On occasion, another templar may be invited by Tithian or the Council to report on matters under the speaker’s authority. Also infrequently, Timor will have one of his ministers (higher ranking templars in positions of authority) sit in for him. The city’s three trade districts each send a spokesperson. They comprise the Guildsmen. Rowen the tailor represents Caravan Way. Xalos, a grizzled old mul stonecutter, speaks for the masons and laborers of the Brickyards district, and Flin the weaponsmith attends for the artisans of the Stadium District. Freemen send three of their number to the Council: Shivrin the half-elf from the Warrens, Nori from the fields (an eloquent speaker with a knack for cutting to the heart of matters), and Poril, a hulking and unusually intelligent half-giant who serves as an at-large representative. Templars The templars continue in their administrative roles despite the loss of their spellcasting abilities. They no longer define the legal system as they once did as Kalak’s enforcers, but some templars have found imaginative ways to subvert the laws passed down by the Council to further their own ends. They excel as bureaucrats and have refined collusion and graft into high art forms. Templars are as much a commodity as the iron and grain they regulate. They practice the mechanics of oversight, and those who wish to see the wheels of progress turn must regularly grease the palms of those who turn the wheels. For example, traders wanting city contracts pay kickbacks to the city’s negotiating agents. Both merchants in a dispute may bribe a templar arbitrator for a favorable judgment. A politician or petitioner may hire a templar to arrest or detain an opponent on the day of an important vote, while a black marketeer or thief might offer a percentage of his cut to a templar to look the other way. An ambitious templar may even assassinate another of his ilk to gain the favor of a third. There is no end to the scheming that a templar is capable of. What makes these corrupt templars even more dangerous is that, except in cases of extreme importance to Tyr, the templars sit in judgment of crimes within the city. They investigate, accuse, pass judgment, imprison, or pardon Tyrian citizens and visitors just as they did under Kalak. A well-placed templar can be a valuable ally or a terrible foe. Anyone conducting business or pursuing politics in Tyr would be wise to cultivate good relations with this powerful faction. The organization of the templars follows hierarchical lines of authority. (The king oversees the bureaucracy and punishes or rewards its work.) The bureaucracy is currently headed by Timor, Senior Templar and Minister of Tyr. Beneath him are the ministers, each responsible for one aspect of Tyr’s interests. Each department maintains its own security forces and operates independently of others, save that all department heads report directly to Timor who, himself, reports to the Council. The ministers supervise various minor officials and functionaries, creating an immense tangle of red tape where corruption, bribery, and backstabbing are commonplace. The departments of Tyr’s government are listed below. The name of the Senior Templar in charge of each department is noted in parentheses Administration—(Astini) supervises templar scribes who maintain records and communication between other departments. The Arena—(Banther) ''administers stadium functions. ''Fields—(Arbistor) responsible for agricultural and farming concerns. Finance—(Gennet) tax collecting and treasury. Gardens—(Linder) maintains and patrols the king’s gardens. Mines—(Borger) ''supervises the operations of Tyr’s iron mines. ''Public Works—(Caldon) in charge of construction of public and private structures within the city. Security—(Dark) in charge of intelligence operations. State—(Hirik) in charge of ambassadorial relations with other city-states and external powers. Trade—(Finneal) regulates businesses within the city. Water—(Girias) oversees Tyr’s wells and supplies. The City Guard Fearing a rise in violence during the war with Urik, the Council of Advisers created a police force to patrol city streets. The newly formed “Tyrian Guard,” headed by Rikus, works with the city militia to keep an uneasy peace within the walls of Tyr. The “Guard,” as it is known, reports to Captain Zalcor who, in turn, reports directly to the Council. The Guard’s patrols have replaced the templars’ street patrols in the investigation and prevention of petty crimes. A standard unit is comprised of three to five members; novice or retired warriors, slaves, and a seasoned veteran. Poorly equipped and trained, they patrol the outer areas of the Warrens where no templar would set foot after nightfall. When a city guard unit encounters a more powerful force (true more often than not) the militia is contacted for support. Rikus maintains highly disciplined, well-equipped and trained fighting forces composed of half-giant warriors and former gladiators. Enforcement units are stationed at various points around the city but only patrol the merchant, crafts, and noble districts. They avariciously control the profitable wells and city gates. Category:Tyr